Got You Coming Out of Your Skin
by Mia-Zeklos
Summary: Jace is sent on an undercover mission in a club and Alec arrives just in time to help.


**Notes: Written by a prompt on tumblr; I hope you enjoy it!**

"Alec should have been here ten minutes ago," Jace hissed into his phone as soon as Isabelle picked up. "He _said_ he'd be here."

"He's on his way." From her tone alone, Jace could tell that Izzy was surveying the security cameras for her brother. "Give him two more minutes."

The thing was, Jace wasn't sure he had that long. Everyone from the staff was giving him suspicious looks already and he _knew_ that he didn't look like his place was here at all. He was used to underground clubs where all sorts of things happened, but he wasn't sure how to handle this place, which was carefully enough organised to look like it was complete chaos.

The club was swanky and faux-dangerous and Jace should have fitted well enough, especially with his black Shadowhunter gear, but he didn't. The mundanes (because, unlike most clubs Jace was used to, this one was entirely mundane in more ways than one) were having fun and dancing and he was just standing on the sidelines after he'd got in with an invisibility rune. He didn't have the membership card that all the visitors seemed to have and that was the main source of his problems.

But the sensor had pinpointed the club as the source of demonic energy, so he'd had to get in however he could. He had a plan – he'd linger around and try not to draw attention to himself until Alec arrived. He'd told his parabatai to get one of the cards – the Institute's technology was advanced enough for that – and get in as inconspicuously as possible. He just hadn't thought it would take so long, and by trying not to draw attention to himself he'd somehow managed to do just that. He'd excused himself with 'I'm waiting for someone' a few minutes prior when he'd been asked for a dance and he wasn't sure if it would work again; not if he couldn't show them the card. Everyone in the club seemed to know each other and it occurred to Jace that if anyone started questioning him, any demons in the vicinity would be able to see through the glamour over his runes soon enough. All he could hope for was that he could manage to look innocent – or, at least, that he'd manage not to look too guilty.

His hopes, much like all the effort he'd thrown into getting here, were in vain. The bouncer approached him and Jace was frantically looking for an excuse that wouldn't sound like something he'd made up on the spot when, "Jace!"

Jace was quite sure he'd never been so relieved to hear Alec's voice. Mundane bouncers didn't scare him but the perspective of leaving the club did; there were demons somewhere here, possibly part of the staff, and if they didn't do anything about it tonight, people would die. Everyone here would die, presumably, and Jace didn't even want to imagine the consequences.

"Hi," he said as his parabatai neared and did his best to ignore the bouncer who was still eyeing them with the distrust of someone who'd dealt with enough gatecrashers in his life to be able to spot one. "I almost thought you wouldn't make it."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world." Alec assured him and his voice was on the verge of _too_ enthusiastic. He brought Jace in for a hug and angled them further into the shadows, away from prying eyes. They stayed that way for a second and then Jace almost jumped as he felt Alec shove something in his back pocket. He reached back and took the card out just as Alec stepped away and glanced at his own photo on the front side. Alec had done a great job for the time he'd been given; even the watermark looked real enough under the faint lightning of the club.

"He's my plus one," he announced to the bouncer, one arm still slung over Alec's shoulders. He wasn't sure if the membership card gave him a pass for a plus one too, but he _was_ sure that he needed to be as convincing as possible. The only warning he gave Alec was a glance before he pulled him in by the lapels of his jacket and kissed him.

Going undercover wasn't really Alec's strongest suit, but he pulled himself together immediately; Jace had to give him that. He relaxed into the kiss and opened his mouth on a gasp when Jace gently prodded it with his tongue and leant in even further, his hands working to bring them closer together.

Jace knew that they were putting on a show – more of a show than was strictly necessary, probably, although from what he'd seen, personal space wasn't really valued in here – but he was suddenly reluctant to pull away. Alec was warm and gentle and everywhere and he didn't want it to end; not yet.

It was Alec who ended it; breaking for air but not moving away. "I know we have to keep up your cover," he said in a voice low enough for no one to hear but Jace, "but we've got to get moving."

"Who says you were just a cover?" The words came out before Jace had had the time to think them through, but it was okay; for a few seconds there, he'd caught a glimpse of _something_ and he found himself unwilling to let it go.

"What." It should have been a question, but Alec's face was expressionless. "Jace, _what_?"

Any explanation he might have given was cut off by the increasingly insistent beeping of the sensor in his jacket and Jace sighed as he stared at the 'Staff only' door right behind them. They'd found their target.

"We _will_ talk about this," Jace vowed as he took out his stele to unlock the door and noted Alec's nod of agreement before they slipped into the dark hallway ahead of them. Jace smiled and took out his blade just as he saw Alec charge his bow.


End file.
